Strange 25 mins in second half . Dublin I felt pulled too many back during this period . They invited Donegal to shoot from distance a bit like the Tyrone game. Difference was Donegal had a Paddy mc Brearty who was on fire. This kept Donegal within touching distance of Dublin. This period where Donegal outscored us did show that to put us under pressure get some return the opposition has to attack in numbers when they have the ball. Not many teams will be able to do this , but I do think that period will be analysed by a lot of teams as a way to get at us. Possibly to their detriment because when we have all our lads back and fully up to speed, we will be a different animal.
Although this was a game that could of been over early second half , but for poor passes by us at the final delivery.
All in all it was a good game that brings on our young lads more. Howard is really looking good , Basquel was very clever at times with the ball and I was delighted to see Paddy Small get a score. Scullys run for one of his points was class.
EoGara tackle was stupid in the extreme and he really needs to be taken aside and shown what way to tackle. It was an easy yellow , where there was no danger and then we are walking a tightrope with him.
A game like that would have been set up for Con.

I felt O’Gara did SFA wiht that tackle, very harsh yellow, barely a free.

I think that has been a deliberate tactic by Gavin in the past, especially with Byrne. If JG was really worried he could have made a switch early in the game, but similar to the McManus situation a few years ago, he was happy to leave Byrne at it and let him learn how to deal with them as the game went on.

I see that’s my post . Question is , has Davy learned . He’s a good defender but not of the Fitzy / Cooper / O’Carrol calibre . Maybe it was a case neither of them would have had the required success . Fitzy lost his starting place in the Dublin team in 2012 when I think Moran skinned him for the entire game . It shows the class of the guy that he stuck at it to get back in & it showed in the replay in '16 .
Will Davy be as good as the guys I mentioned . I don’t know but Jim is certainly giving him a chance other managers might have not . I think he’s a mismatch on the opposition’s top forward .

Byrne was a class underage player, as influential at U21 as O Carroll was. Also on the ball he is superb, for the last 15 minutes of the 2016 final he was nearly our most important player. Yes, he has had two rough days out, McManus and McBrearty - but in his defence, in the game against McManus he was left one on one with him for most of the game and on Saturday for at least two of those McBrearty points Byrne had done his job and forced a shot from a very low percentage area. The fact McBrearty scored is more down to his talents then anything Byrne did or didn’t do.

He is probably in fourth place now, of the three for the full back line, but he is probably the most stereotypical full back of the lot. So I think he will make a place his own there in the coming years.

Not if Gavin is viewing it as a good opportunity for Byrne to develop as a defender. It’s not always just about the win. If it was then he wouldn’t be playing lads like Byrne, Howard or Basquel at all, he would just play proven players like COS or Connolly. One of the main reasons we are as strong as we are is that JG has had the confidence to play younger players, sometimes for an extended run, just to develop the depth of squad that is required.

Eh…
Yes I agree what your saying , it’s to further to develop him . He’s been around a while now though .
Is it doing his confidence any good getting cleaned out by McManus or McBrearty .
My point is I don’t think he’s the best option to put on the opposition’s marquee player .

McB was unplayable at times. Who would have done a better job, Jack? Who would’ve had the pace?

Fitzy or Coops . If a guy is unplayable you make changes . Jim obviously wasn’t too fussed about this .But if this was the championship there’s no way you allow that to go on without making changes .
Ala Cian been switched on Gooch when Ger was been roasted in the '13 semi I think .

Ger just didn’t have the legs and Gooch had the best half of football in the history of any sport the world over don’tcha know. Mick Fitz had his own problems with being on McB, and one or two others in the past, as all players do. Johnny might have done a bit better I grant you.

Ger just didn’t have the legs and Gooch had the best half of football in the history of any sport the world over don’tcha know. Mick Fitz had his own problems with being on McB, and one or two others in the past, as all players do. Johnny might have done a bit better I grant you.

I just feel Davy has been thrown in at the deep end sometimes when a better option could have been used .

Maybe so. I think whoever said Gavin tries to get players to learn in certain quite ruthlessly challenging ways is probably near the mark. I’m sure he makes lads well aware of why though, to some extent

Maybe so. I think whoever said Gavin tries to get players to learn in certain quite ruthlessly challenging ways is probably near the mark. I’m sure he makes lads well aware of why though, to some extent

It seems a better strategy then Donegal with Mullins anyway, where they just hauled him off because he was the new guy.